Self-cleaning sequential valve means with ball check valve

ABSTRACT

A sequential valve having a housing and a valve means reciprocally mounted therein, said valve means comprising spaced peppet and ball check valve elements in the housing, such that said valve means may be forced into open position sequentially with respect to said spaced poppet and ball check valve elements in order that one fluid may flow around said poppet valve element after fluid is shut off with respect to flow around said ball check valve element to thereby provide for purging of said sequential valve at the end of each operating cycle thereof. This invention relates to a self-cleaning sequentially operable valve adapted for dispensing fluids, and more particularly, to a fluids dispensing valve having series operable valve means adapted sequentially and concurrently to dispense a plurality of fluids through a common chamber and dispensing nozzle, and to cause automatic purging and cleaning of said chamber and nozzle by one of the fluids at the end of each valve operating cycle.

United States Patent [1 1 Prussin et al.

[451 July 31,1973

I SELF-CLEANING SEQUENTIAL VALVE MEANS WI'III BALL CHECK VALVE [75] Inventors: Samuel Prussia, Los Angeles;

Jimmie L. Mason, Hacienda Heights, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Dart Industries Inc., Los Angcles,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1968 [21] Appl. No.: 764,522

[52] US. Cl. ZZZ/402.24

[51] Int. Cl 865d 83/00 [58] Field of Search 222140217, 402.18, 222/4022, 402.24, 193

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,658,714 11/1953 Fooshee ZZZ/402.24 X

3,033,473 5/1962 Kitabayashi.... ZZZ/402.18 X

3,341,082 9/1967 Meshberg 222/4022 X 3,040,936 6/1962 Hotta 222/4022 X 3,232,493 2/1966 Beard, Jr. 222/193 3,406,877 10/1968 Frangos ZZZ/402.18 X

Primary Examiner-Samucl F. Coleman Attorney-Harold R. Beck [57] ABSTRACT A sequential valve having a housing and a valve means reciprocally mounted therein, said valve means comprising spaced peppet and ball check valve elements in the housing, such that said valve means may be forced into open position sequentially with respect to said spaced poppet and ball check valve elements in order that one fluid may flow around said poppet valve element after fluid is shut off with respect to flow around said ball check valve element to thereby provide for purging of said sequential valve at the end of each operating cycle thereof.

This invention relates to a self-cleaning sequentially operable valve adapted for dispensing fluids, and more particularly, to a fluids dispensing valve having series operable valve means adapted sequentially and concurrently to dispense a plurality of fluids through a common chamber and dispensing nozzle, and to cause automatic purging and cleaning of said chamber and nozzle by one of the fluids at the end of each valve operating cycle.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJULB 1 ma SHEET 2 (1F 2 FIG. 6.

SELF-CLEANING SEQUENTIAL VALVE MEANS WITH BALL CHECK VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fluids dispensing valves have been used for a great variety of fluids dispensing purposes. Many prior art valves are subject to malfunctions due to the collection of residues therein. Such residues may collect in valve chambers and dispensing nozzles used to dispense products, such as antiperspirant sprays, starches, and paint sprays, or the like. The collection of such residues causes clogging of the valve thereby preventing proper dispensation of the contents from the containers hold,- ing materials in communication with such valves.

Accordingly, there has been a requirement for a compact, simple and economical automatically purging and self-cleaning valve having a minimum of moving parts, and which will operate to prevent the collection of undesirable residues in the valve housing and attendant dispensing nozzle structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel sequentially operable fluids dispensing valve having a housing and valve means reciprocally mounted therein. The housing and valve means are provided with cooperable valve elements adapted to operate in sequence to control the flow of a plurality of fluids therethrough, such that the fluids pass through a common chamber and dispensing nozzle. The valve means of the invention is operable to cause sequential opening of valve elements communicating with said plurality of fluids in such a manner, that on closing of the valve, one of the fluids is first shut off and another of the fluids may continue to pass through the valve for a short period of time during which said last mentioned fluid purges the housing chamber of the valve, and also the dispensing nozzle thereof. This mode of operation occurs at the end of each fluid dispensing cycle.

The foregoing functions are accomplished by a novel valve means of the invention, wherein a poppet valve and a ball check valve are operable with respect to cooperable valve elements carried in a housing, wherein said valve means is reciprocally mounted. Actuation of the valve means a slight distance, causes slight opening of valve elements communicating with a first fluid source, and whereby further progressive opening of the valve means causes opening of valve elements communicating with a second source of fluid, and whereby during closing movement of the valve means in the valve housing, valve elements shut off said second source of fluid preliminary to the shut off of said first source of fluid passing through the chamber so that fluid from said first source continues to flow just preliminary to the final closing motion of the valve to thereby purge the valve housing chamber and fluids dispensing nozzle communicating therewith.

The mechanism of the present invention is particularly simple and reliable due to a one-piece poppet valve means which is reciprocally cooperable with a ball check valve in a housing, wherein a pair ofspaced valve elements is disposed in the housing; the poppet valve and said ball check valve being spaced so as to provide sequential opening of the respective poppet and valve elements in communication with separate fluids to be dispensed therethrough.

The simple construction of the invention also includes a dispensing nozzle as an integral portion of the one-piece poppet valve means, and the one-piece poppet valve means is reciprocally mounted in a rectilinear manner in order to actuate the poppet and ball check valve elements of the invention, for sequential dispensing of a plurality of fluids and for automatic purging of the valve during closing movement of the valve means at the end of each fluids dispensing operation thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a very simple and economical self-purging and cleaning sequential valve particularly adapted for use in dispensing various aerosol products.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very simple, economical and compact fluids dispensing valve which is particularly adapted for use in connection with expendable aerosol fluids dispensing containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very novel and simple valve mechanism, wherein a pair of series operated valve elements comprise a poppet valve and a ball check valve operable to deliver separate fluids into a common chamber and a common dispensing nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very reliable and simple self-cleaning and non clogging fluids dispensing valve which is adapted to purge itself at the end of each cycle of operation, and which is particularly adapted to dispense products such as antiperspirant sprays, starches and paint sprays, or the like.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an aerosol container and cap structure showing a sequential valve of the present invention connected to the cap structure of the container, and having a dip tube in connection therewith which extends downwardly into the container; FIG. 1 also showing portions of the container fragmentarily and in section to facilitate the illustration;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the valve structure of the invention taken from the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view taken from the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view taken from the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the valve structure of the invention in partially open position wherein vapor only may pass through the poppet valve structure of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 5, but showing a further open position of the valve mechanism of the invention with respect to that as shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 6 showing both poppet and ball check valve elements of the invention in open position internally to dispense vapor and liquid or two separate fluids; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan sectional view taken from the-line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. I, a conventional aerosol container 10 is provided with a crimped on cap 12 which carries a housing 14 of a sequential valve of the present invention.

The housing is provided with a hollow cylindrical portion 16 to which is secured a hollow tubular dip tube 18 having an open end 20 adapted to be disposed near the normally bottom interior of the container 10.

The sequential valve means of the invention includes an axially movable and operable nozzle 22 having a manually operable head 24 which is provided with a serrated thumb engaging portion 26 at one end thereof. This head 24 is also provided with a fluids dispensing spray orifice 28, all of which is substantially conventional.

As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the valve housing 14 of the invention is a hollow cylindrical housing preferably made of plastic or any other suitable material. This housing 14 is provided with an annular shoulder 30 engaged by an annular indented crimped portion 32 of the container cap 12. This crimped portion 32 tends to hold a serrated end 34 of the housing 14 in sealed and compressed engagement with a rubber-like flat disc-shaped seal 36 which is abutted to an end wall 38 of the cap 12. This end wall 38 is provided with an opening 40 through which the nozzle 22 extends and in which it is freely axially movable in the direction of an arrow 42, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, for actuation of the valve means of the invention to an open position, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The disc-shaped seal 36 is provided with a central opening 44 resiliently engaging the periphery of the nozzle 22 and forming a seal therearound.

The nozzle 22 is a hollow cylindrical tubular structure having a bore 46 adapted to conduct fluids to the nozzle head 24 and extending through the side walls of this hollow tubular nozzle 22 are ports 48 which communicate with bore 46 and communicate with the periphery of the nozzle 22 which is surrounded by an annular poppet valve element 50 which is integral with the nozzle 22. The ports 48 are also shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, wherein their radial disposition is shown in detail. The poppet valve element 50 is provided with a rather sharp annular portion 52 which is readily indented into the soft rubber-like seal 36 in response to force of a compression spring 54 abutted against a shoulder 56 in the housing 14 and tending to force the poppet valve element 50 into firm engagement with the normally inner side of the disc-shaped seal 36.

The housing 14 is provided with a bore portion 58 in which a substantially annular skirt 60 of the nozzle member 22 is reciprocally mounted. This skirt 60 is provided with fluid passage notches 62 in the periphery thereof which communicate with the poppet valve portion 52, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The notches 62, at their lower ends, communicate with a chamber 64 in the housing 14 and this chamber 64 communicates with a ball check seat 66 surrounding an opening 68 in the housing, as shown best in FIGS. 2, and 6 of the drawings.

Seated against the ball cheek seat 66 is a ball check valve element 70 which is held against the seat 66 by means of a compression spring 72 abutted against a shoulder 74 in a bore portion 76 of the portion 16 of the housing 14. The seat 66 constitutes a ball check shut off seat adapted to prevent flow of fluid from the dip tube 18 into the chamber 64 of the housing 14, when the check valve element 70 is firmly engaged with said shut off seat 66.

The nozzle member 22 is provided with a ball check engaging stem having an end portion 78, normally held in spaced relation to the ball check valve element 70, and adapted to engage the ball check valve element and force it against compression of the spring 72 away from the shut off seat 66, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

The housing 14 in one side wall thereof is provided with a port adapted to receive vapor from a vapor phase in the container 10, said vapor being adapted to communicate with the chamber 64 at all times, and to serve as a purging agent during sequential operation of the valve, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION When the container 10 is in the position as shown in FIG. 1, and the serrated portion 26 of the head 24 is engaged by a persons finger and depressed in the direction of an arrow 42, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, in the valve first assumes a momentary position as shown in FIG. 5 in which the poppet valve 50 is depressed such that it is disengaged from the seal 36. In this position vapor from the vapor phase in the container 10 is permitted to pass through the port 80, chamber 64, upward through the slots 62, ports 48, outwardly through the bore 46 and to be emitted through the nozzle opening 28 in the head 24. This vapor phase initially purges the valve of the invention upon opening thereof preliminary to the stage of operation shown in FIG. 6 wherein the nozzle 22 is progressively depressed to a position wherein the end 78 of a nozzle member engages the ball check valve element 70 and forces it off its seat 66 to allow fluid such as paint or other material to pass up through the dip tube 20 through the bore 76 around the ball 70 in the space 71, as shown in FIG. 7, which illustrates on enlarged scale a relatively small diameter of the ball as compared to that of the bore 76. As the paint or other material passes upwardly, it passes through the opening 68 into the chamber 64 through the slots 62 around the poppet valve portion 52 through the ports 48, bore 46 and upwardly through the head 24 and outward through the spray nozzle opening 28. During this time vapor also is passing through the valve, as hereinbefore described, mixing with the paint or other liquid material in order to atomizc it as desired and to effect a spray dispensation of the materials.

Upon manual release of the head 26, the spring 54 moves the nozzle member toward the closed position and momentarily the nozzle 22 again assumes the position shown in FIG. 5, wherein the ball check valve element 70 is seated in closed position on the shut off seat 66, thereby stopping flow of paint or other materials through the dip tube 18 and through the valve. At this time, however, vapor still flows through the chamber 64, slots 62, ports 48, bore 46 and outward through the head 24 and nozzle opening 28. During this momentary flow of the vapor only, it purges the paint or other material from the valve, thereby clearing it and thus prevents ultimate clogging of the valve after each cycle of operation. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that during each cycle of the sequential valve of the invention, the valve is initially purged before full operation of the valve is accomplished, the purging being accomplished by the aerosol vapor whereupon subsequent opening of the ball check valve 70 permits the flow of liquid material, such as paint or other known materials, through the valve in combination with the vapor to effect a spray dispensation of the materials, and upon closing of the valve, the liquid materials are first shut off and the vapor momentarily flows through the valve to purge the valve at the end of each operating cycle. Thus, accumulation of materials, such as paint or other clogging materials in the valve, is effectively prevented and the valve at its nozzle orifice 28 is always maintained in efficient operable condition for the spraying of paint or other materials therefrom, as desired.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that when the valve is operated in the position, as shown in FIG. 7, and when both fluids are flowing through the valve, namely the fluid from the container in a vapor phase and the liquid flowing through the dip tube 18, that these fluids which pass through the chamber 64 are substantially mixed before passing outwardly through the spray nozzle opening 28.

It will be seen that the nozzle member 22 at its ball check engaging portion 78 is normally in spaced relation with the ball check valve element 70, as shown in FIG. 2, so that preliminary opening of the poppet valve 50 is insured before displacement of the ball check valve 70 from the seat 66 occurs, and when the valve is closed, the reverse operation takes place to assure that the poppet valve 50 closes after the ball check valve element 70 is engaged with its shut off seat 66.

The resilient seal 36 serves as an effective shut off seat for the poppet valve 50 due to the sharp annular portion of the poppet valve 50 and the compressive force of the spring 54 tending to embed or engage the portion 52 compressively in the rubber-like seal 36.

It will be seen that the nozzle 22 and poppet valve 50 together with the portion 78 which engages the ball check valve element 70 constitutes a single piece or part which generally may be termed a poppet valve member having a nozzle on one end and a plunger on the other adapted to engage the ball check valve element 70.

The plunger portion 78 and nozzle 22 being integral with the poppet valve 50 insures that common actuation of the poppet valve 50 and ball check valve element 70 may be accomplished in sequence as hereinbefore described.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l Claim:

1. In a container and sequential valve means for dispensing aerosol products the combination of: a container; a valve housing connected with said container;

said valve housing communicating with the interior of said container; means in said container providing communication with said valve housing and a lower portion of said container; a poppet valve member movably mounted in said valve housing; said valve housing having a bore portion with a longitudinal axis, said valve member movable in said bore portion along said longitudinal axis; a vapor phase opening in said housing communicating with the interior of said container and with said poppet valve member; a poppet valve shut off seat and a ball check shut off seat disposed in spaced relation with each other along said axis of said bore portion and supported in said housing with said vapor phase opening disposed between said seats; a poppet valve element carried by said valve member and disposed to engage said poppet shut off seat to control the flow of both vapor and product; a ball check valve; a first spring tending to hold said ball check valve against said ball check shut off seat and a second spring adapted to hold said poppet valve member in position to maintain it against said poppet shut off seat; said poppet valve member having a plunger adapted to engage said ball check valve element and unseat it against force of said first mentioned spring; an annular skirt depending from said poppet valve to form a chamber about said plunger, said skirt being provided with notches which communicate said chamber with said poppet valve; said plunger spaced from said ball check valve element, when said poppet valve element is engaged with said poppet valve shut off seat, whereupon movement of said valve member in said bore portion, said poppet valve element opens first with respect to its shut off seat to initially purge said chamber with vapor and said check valve opens subsequently with respect to its shutoff seat to allow the flow of product in combination with said vapor. 

1. In a container and sequential valve means for dispensing aerosol products the combination of: a container; a valve housing connected with said container; said valve housing communicating with the interior of said container; means in said container providing communication with said valve housing and a lower portion of said container; a poppet valve member movably mounted in said valve housing; said valve housing having a bore portion with a longitudinal axis, said valve member movable in said bore portion along said longitudinal axis; a vapor phase opening in said housing communicating with the interior of said container and with said poppet valve member; a poppet valve shut off seat and a ball check shut off seat disposed in spaced relation with each other along said axis of said bore portion and supported in said housing with said vapor phase opening disposed between said seats; a poppet valve element carried by said valve member and disposed to engage said poppet shut off seat to control the flow of both vapor and product; a ball check valve; a first spring tending to hold said ball check valve against said ball check shut off seat and a second spring adapted to hold said poppet valve member in position to maintain it against said poppet shut off seat; said poppet valve member having a plunger adapted to engage said ball check valve element and unseat it against force of said first mentioned spring; an annular skirt depending from said poppet valve to form a chamber about said plunger, said skirt being provided with notches which communicate said chamber with said poppet valve; said plunger spaced from said ball check valve element, when said poppet valve element is engaged with said poppet valve shut off seat, whereupon movement of said valve member in said bore portion, said poppet valve element opens first with respect to its shut off seat to initially purge said chamber with vapor and said check valve opens subsequently with respect to its shut off seat to allow the flow of product in combination with said vapor. 